1980) There are some things in life that are so over-whelming the human mind and heart cannot deal with. I don’t need to make a list of such things as I know all of us have been there (or will be eventually).  

When we see others in this space, our reactions aren’t always helpful. For example, telling someone what they need to do, when not asked, is like looking down on the person and saying, I know better than you.

Another thing some people do is try to race the hurting one to the bottom. What I mean by this is, you’ve been told what the sufferer is going through and why and then you say, I know exactly what you mean but this is what I have had to go through, often implying you have had it worst.  

There is a better way to help and comfort someone in this place, and it’s found in 1 Thessalonians 5:11. Paul tells us here to encourage and build up one another. When I read this, I passively nod my head but when I dug in deeper; I found the Greek word for encouragement, parakaleo, which means to call someone to one’s side.  

This verse isn’t saying to encourage others by looking down on them. It also doesn’t say to encourage by looking up at them. It means we can be most effective in our encouragement by being beside them.  

Good strategies are ones that give the best results.